ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on Sunday Countdown that Dolphins coach Joe Philbin and GM Jeff Ireland "appear to be safe," but there is "tension" between the two.It's likely creating an awkward dynamic at Fins headquarters. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported in late December that "no one in Miami is safe," but owner Stephen Ross has made no moves since. The Dolphins signed Ireland to a head-scratching contract extension before the 2013 season, which was likely fully guaranteed. Ross is believed to be pushing for Philbin to fire offensive assistants, including coordinator Mike Sherman.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/01/05/v ... nk=cpyRoss has spent a lot of time gathering information the past few days. This is actually wise even as it looks indecisive, and even as the customers and media howl outside the gates at team headquarters. Good leadership always risks unpopularity, and he can not listen to the howling customers, even though the howling customers demand to be heard and satiated.

The act of collecting players is inherently unscientific, and winning can be random and lucky sometimes, but the general manager job is actually pretty easy to evaluate. The Dolphins have six years of information on Ireland. Not just the players he drafted, but the players he didn’t. So the Dolphins have six years of notes and evaluations that they can cross-reference against players Ireland didn’t take, and how well or poorly they did elsewhere. This is more information by a lot than we, the howling public, have. And it is also a more accurate reflection, and more representative sample, of how well he did his job than merely the Dolphins he selected.

Every player Ireland has ever evaluated has a documented record, and Ross has had enough time (in the past six years, not the past six days) to see how right or wrong Ireland has been. Even being unscientific, even though it is questionable how much Magical General Manager X can see that Fired General Manager Y can’t, the results are the results, and six years of free agent and draft evaluations is enough to determine whether someone should be fired or not.

Those are the facts.

But what about the emotions?

Emotions sometimes don’t care about facts.

And if Ross blames himself with guilt about the beginning with Ireland, and prides himself on loyalty, he might indeed have more facts than we do, but he is going to see them a hell of a lot less clearly than we do as well.

I don't fault Ross for NOT having the mentality to just fire everyone and this may go into a year 3 with a similar staff, but rest assure, the pressure heading into next season will be at the top of the charts for everyone IMO....

He is a business guy and he surrounds himself with loyal staff members and I am sure the personal elements factor in when taking care of the staff and knowing they all have families.

A few weeks ago this team was 8-6, almost in the drivers seat for a playoff spot, things collapsed.

No offensive line gave little protection throughout the entire season, perhaps the coaches have convinced him to go out and spend in the draft and free agency to build up this glaring weakness and give it one more shot with the same coaching staff.

Miami is getting back some key players from injuries too and supplement that with a few changes, maybe Ross believes the Dolphins are close to turning the corner.

We as the fans grow inpatient.....but we may need to accept another year with these guys......the problem is that the Jets and Buffalo seem to be getting better and the Pats won't go away.

He is a business guy and he surrounds himself with loyal staff members and I am sure the personal elements factor in when taking care of the staff and knowing they all have families.

I wish he would surround himself with some football staff instead of loyal staff. Its almost like Ross is to close to the situation to see the overall picture. Ireland has been the one constant through all the mediocrity. And truthfully I am not sure Philbin is the man for the job in leading Miami back to a franchise fans can be proud of.

Every GM hits and misses. My problem is that players leave here and play better or they come here and play worse. Add in the GOGO and GO nonsense and this staff is DUMB. How can you play action on GO when the D knows it's a pass? Yes, the draft sucked, but was it coaching?

Every GM hits and misses. My problem is that players leave here and play better or they come here and play worse. Add in the GOGO and GO nonsense and this staff is DUMB. How can you play action on GO when the D knows it's a pass? Yes, the draft sucked, but was it coaching?

I only want the OC and DC replaced for stability reason...The franchise can I'll afford a new regime and gutting of the young developing players...

I don't see how you can replace both coordinators and keep the HC. The HC is the top guy.......the problems with coaching on the O & D ultimately fall on his shoulders. Darren Rizzi and the rest of the ST's coaching staff are the only ones I'd like to see remain. He stayed after Saprano and staff were fired, so there's a good chance he stays.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on Sunday Countdown that Dolphins coach Joe Philbin and GM Jeff Ireland "appear to be safe," but there is "tension" between the two. It's likely creating an awkward dynamic at Fins headquarters. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported in late December that "no one in Miami is safe," but owner Stephen Ross has made no moves since. The Dolphins signed Ireland to a head-scratching contract extension before the 2013 season, which was likely fully guaranteed. Ross is believed to be pushing for Philbin to fire offensive assistants, including coordinator Mike Sherman.

Philben should have MADE Sherman stop the GOGO, GO crap. He either has no balls or he is too stupid to figure out the GOGO and GO gives plays away. Either way, he needs to go. or GOGO.

What baffles me is that Sherman was a successful HC for years at GB. How is he not aware of how easy it is for defenses to guess this when we can all do so watching TV? Is the o-line or WRs incapable of learning another snap count?

Makes no sense whatsoever. And I hope Ross has read the reporters mention this and brought it up when questioning Philbin and Sherman.

I would like to see the majority of the staff remain when its all said and done. Continuity is important when grooming a younger quarterback like Tannehill. The only coach I think deserves to be fired (if anybody) is the offensive line coach Jim Turner. He's the guy the NFL investigators pointed to as a person of interest in the whole Jonathan Martin scandal. Our offensive line is far and away the worst unit on the team giving up a franchise high 58 sacks this year. If anybody deserves to go, it's him.

I'd keep Philbin and Ireland on for at least one or two more years before I made a move there. I think both guys should be safe this off-season (barring the NFL investigation).

As far as Sherman is concerned, I think he should be safe too. I truly believe that Philbin will fight to keep Sherman on his staff.

But if Sherman does go, there is an excellent replacement on the market. Gary Kubiak is an excellent fit if you ask me. He's a former Texas A&M quarterback and later on a offensive line and runningback coach at A&M. Kubiak and Sherman go back to A&M as well, so you know they're like-minded individuals and their systems will likely be similar (good for Tannehill).

A possible deal Ross and Philbin could strike would be if Sherman was moved to Assistant Head Coach (we don't currently have one) and coaching the offensive line. Sherman has extensive experience as a o-line coach at multiple colleges and the NFL. I think a trio of Philbin, Sherman, and Kubiak would work very well. This way we keep as much continuity as possible and yet on the surface we make some big moves to keep the owner and fans happy.

The Miami Herald reports Joe Philbin is "definitely safe" as Dolphins head coach.Owner Stephen Ross forced Philbin to fire OC Mike Sherman on Monday, but Philbin will return for his third season on the job. Per the Herald's Armando Salguero, GM Jeff Ireland's job security "has yet to be cemented by the team." Philbin's records through two years are 7-9 and 8-8. There is some feeling the Dolphins will pursue Packers QBs coach Ben McAdoo to replace Sherman.

The Miami Herald reports Joe Philbin is "definitely safe" as Dolphins head coach.Owner Stephen Ross forced Philbin to fire OC Mike Sherman on Monday, but Philbin will return for his third season on the job. Per the Herald's Armando Salguero, GM Jeff Ireland's job security "has yet to be cemented by the team." Philbin's records through two years are 7-9 and 8-8. There is some feeling the Dolphins will pursue Packers QBs coach Ben McAdoo to replace Sherman.

So let me get this straight.

Ross wants to declare Philbin safe, but force him to fire his assistant, and hasn't made up his mind about Philbin's boss.

How is this staff going to function if Ireland doesn't go? What decent GM is going to want a job in Miami if he does go?

I have zero optimism regarding next season, and that is coming from a guy who is usually near the top in offseason optimism.

It's bad when you are looking at the 2015 draft 3 months before the 2014 draft.

"The general manager is also normally the person who hires and fires the coaching staff, including the head coach."

Key word being normally.

But that is not the case with the Dolphins. In fact, it has been reported that Ireland recommended Mike McCoy for the job, but Ross went with Philbin instead.

So what you are saying is that Ross has Ireland and Philbin on the same level because he has usurped some of Ireland's authority and made it his own, kinda like a mini-Jerry Jones, but with even less football knowledge?

Sounds lovely. I hope they get on Hard Knocks again so I can watch the drama.

So what you are saying is that Ross has Ireland and Philbin on the same level because he has usurped some of Ireland's authority and made it his own, kinda like a mini-Jerry Jones, but woth even less football knowledge?

This has been the Dolphins organizational structure since Parcells left. And when Parcells was here, Sparano and Ireland reported to him. Ireland had the title of GM even then, but has never had final say on hiring and firing coaches.

So what you are saying is that Ross has Ireland and Philbin on the same level because he has usurped some of Ireland's authority and made it his own, kinda like a mini-Jerry Jones, but woth even less football knowledge?

This has been the Dolphins organizational structure since Parcells left. And when Parcells was here, Sparano and Ireland reported to him. Ireland had the title of GM even then, but has never had final say on hiring and firing coaches.

I think the sky just got darker.

Stephen Ross is 73 years old. I wonder how long he plans on owning the Dolphins?